I'll Give You Flowers
by moondustbeam
Summary: Matthew Williams has nothing in his life. Everyone ignores him, which doesn't give him the best dating life. However, he finally meets a blind florist who just won't leave him alone. AmeCan. IN PROGRESS.
1. Chapter 1

**The trans story is very hard to write and I'm having to do a lot of research for it. I'm not leaving it, I'm just kind of in a rut with it right now. Have some AmeCan. Different pairing for once. ;D By the way, a loonie and a toonie are the Canadian versions of the one and two dollar bills. Just for future reference.**

It's like I'm cursed for everyone to forever ignore me.

Don't get me wrong, I like the peace and quiet...most of the time. But if I'm being honest, the majority of it sucks. Have you ever heard that song "Mr. Cellophane" from Chicago? I tried to go and see that musical, but someone took my seat. When I asked them to move, they just called security on me. I listened to it on Youtube. Anyway, that's me. Air. Nobody even gives a fuck.

I think a few people at my job notice me, but even they forget my name. I have to tell them that I'm Matthew, their boss for the past five years, just about every other day. I work at an aquarium. Not the most thrilling job, but sometimes I get to feed penguins and polar bears. That's always exciting, right? Gotta look on the bright side.

To be honest, I don't hate my life. I get to work with animals all day long, then come home and relax. Watch the Leafs game. They're playing against the Anaheim Ducks this week. Sometimes I drink a beer or call over a prostitute. You know, the normal stuff.

Why a prostitute? I'm lonely. Oh, hell, I am lonely. I'm not the type of person to participate in such activities, usually. I think anyone would be surprised to find out if they actually took the time to get to know me. I'm kind of a timid guy, usually cheerful and calm, and pretty mature most of the time. But it gets awfully lonely when you've been single for thirty years. I'm not saying I have sex with them all the time. Most of the time I just talk to them. Or cry. I can tell I make them uncomfortable when I do that.

Well, I called in a stripper. Not the kind that comes out of a cake. The kind that dances or whatever. I've never really liked girls too much. They never did anything for me. I never slapped a label on myself, either. I just like what I like.

I sat there in my bean bag chair, waiting for the doorbell to ring. I glanced over at the plate of cookies I had laid out for him. It was always good to be charitable to strippers. I don't think many of them received cookies.

Ding dong!

I ran to the door, being careful not to step on my cat. I usually locked him up whenever I called people over for sex, because I didn't want him watching. That'd be creepy, right? Really creepy. But he always tried to tear down the door and now my door has weird claw marks on them. I'm not really sure of what to do with the whole situation.

The door slowly opened, revealing a man in a...peacoat. I was not expecting that. I was expecting some dude in lipstick with a couple of toonies sticking out of his thong. But no. I was presented with a nervous looking Asian man who was too adorable for his own good. He kept his head down, looking around nervously.

"Hello," he said, bowing. "May I come in?"

Wow. He was way too polite to be a stripper. I nodded, saying nothing, and shut the door behind him.

"Why was your door unlocked?"

"Huh?" I was startled at the sudden question.

"Your door was unlocked."

"Oh...we leave them unlocked in Canada. Are you not from here?"

The man shook his head. "I'm from Japan."

I couldn't really think of anything to say. All I was thinking about was how he could totally teach me the moves from Naruto. No. Stay focused, Matthew. Sex. Not Naruto.

"I have some cookies on the counter for you."

"C-cookies?" he asked.

"Yeah...am I not supposed to do that? I don't know, you guys are off...doing things all the time. I figured maybe it'd be nice."

He smirked. "I wouldn't know much about it. I just started. But the company said you were a regular. Why are you so nervous?"

Oh, great. I'm well known by all the prostitutes in town.

"I'm not a very...um...suave guy? Is that the best way to put it? I'm not very raunchy."

Kiku's face held a stoic expression. "So you hired a stripper to come and dance for you?" he asked, undoing the buttons on his coat.

"Yes?" I winced, asking him more than answering.

"I'm very new, so I won't be good," the stripper said, looking down at my bed. He didn't look like he was very comfortable with what he was about to do.

"We don't have to have sex!" I shouted, a little louder than intended. Though, as soft as my voice normally is, it came out as a normal speaking voice for someone else. "I mean, we can just eat cookies and watch television, if you want."

"Really?" His eyes grew wide as he fidgeted, rocking back and forth on his feet. "Okay. You'd still have to pay me, though."

"No problem."

X

"It's like nobody even cares!" I yelled, blowing into a Kleenex. Kiku, as the stripper called himself, stroked my hair gently as I laid in his lap.

"Shh, it's okay, Matthew. You have a decent job, right? You have a house. You don't have to go around selling your body for money…"

"I know, I have a lot to be grateful for," I said, sitting up. "But I don't really have any friends. Nobody really cares about me. Nobody wants to date me. I've tried every dating site out there. I'm thirty, Kiku! I'm not going to live forever."

Kiku laughed. "Thirty is young," he replied.

"How old are you, Kiku?"

"Thirty-two."

"And you're a stripper?" I asked, shocked upon hearing his age.

"Yes. I'm trying to make money for my girlfriend."

"Wait...you have a girlfriend? And you're going around having sex with guys?"

"I don't always have sex with them. Most of the time I'm just a stripper, which means I dance and strip naked. Totally legal. I have had sex with some because they offered me more money if I did. That's all I really want. It's not sexual to me."

"Why do you need money?" I asked, taking off my glasses to wipe at my eyes. I didn't mean to end up crying in front of another hired sex worker, but I did.

"Um...my girlfriend is dying," he said softly, not looking me in the eye.

"Oh...I'm sorry."

"She has cancer and I just want to get enough money to give her a funeral. I don't really have any, since I lost my job last spring. Everything we had went to her medical bills, but they told me she's going to die soon. I'm kind of living on the streets right now and doing this whenever I can because...it pays a lot. I just want to bury her properly." He hugged his knees close to his chest. "I'm sorry to upset you."

"No, no! It's totally fine."

We sat there in the silence, not knowing what to say to each other. We'd just opened up to each other, total strangers. Kiku was the only person who'd ever actually talked to me and showed concern for my stupid issues.

"Do you wanna stay with me?" I asked suddenly, turning around.

"What?"

"You said you're living on the streets, right? Do you want to stay in my house with me? I can find you some other work."

Kiku looked like he didn't know what to tell me. His eyes glazed over with tears as his lip quivered, staring straight into my eyes. He suddenly burst into tears, bowing and whispering something over and over in Japanese as he got down on his hands and knees in front of me, almost as if he were praying.

And that's the story of how I met my best friend.

X

"Shops...shops…" I muttered, holding a list of stores I'd printed off the internet. I had to find a job for Kiku. He was so upset but grateful for my offer, and apologized to me at least fifty times. It wasn't really a big deal, since we both benefited from it. I got a friend and he got a house.

"Where is it…?" I muttered, trying to look around for the first shop on the list. Not many of them were hiring, but I'd found a few for Kiku to work at. My job didn't have any openings, but I would have let him work with me. He'd feed polar bears all day long. Enthralling.

Suddenly, two people zipped past me, carrying some sort of stick. They snickered as they ran down the road, laughing the whole time. They looked to be around sixteen and male, but I didn't really think much of it until I heard someone yelling behind me.

"Hey! Wait!" the person shouted. I could feel them getting closer as I turned around slowly. A man around my age ran down the sidewalk, calling after the kids.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath. "I think they're gone." He ran a hand through his honey-blonde hair, looking up at the sky with wide eyes that had a certain...fogginess about them. Something about him was off, but I couldn't really tell.

"Did you need them?" I asked, cocking my head. I must have scared the man, because he jumped as if he hadn't seen me there. Typical.

"Yeah, they took my cane. But that's okay, I have more at my shop."

This guy looked way too young to have a cane. He was very tall too, no back issues apparent. Even though his t-shirt was loose, I could tell he was muscular. So why did he have back problems? It made no sense to me.

"Your cane?" I asked, not meaning to follow the man as he pulled a pair of keys from his pocket.

"Yeah. Kids like to steal it from me sometimes, so I have lots of them." He walked over to the door of a small shop and started to unlock it. "But I'm used to it by now."

I looked up at the sign. 'Florist.' How original.

"Come on in, if you'd like," the man said cheerfully. "If you're in the mood to buy some flowers, that is."

"Actually…" I said slowly as I stepped inside, taking in the strong aroma of various flowers. "I am looking for a job for my friend, Kiku. He needs a place to work."

"Oh, a job? I guess I could give him one, if that's what you're implying. I'm Alfred, by the way." He stuck out his hand for me to shake, but slightly off from where I was standing. I took it hesitantly, wondering why he wasn't looking me in the eye. He looked more to the left of me, but acted like he was speaking directly to me.

"Really?" I asked as I shook his hand. "Thank you! I'm Matthew Williams, animal wildlife caretaker. I'm not that great with plants."

Unless smoking pot counted.

"Oh, I like animals!" Alfred shouted jovially. "What kinds?"

"Mainly the animals you'd find in the Yukon."

"That's so cool! I wish I could take care of an animal. But I live alone, so that'd be hard." Alfred stepped behind a small, wooden counter, shuffling around with a stack of papers.

"Nice place," I said, looking around. I couldn't really think of any small talk.

"Oh, it's alright...hey, Matthew. Could you read these?" He handed me a stack of pink papers.

"What?"

"Read what that says at the top for me. I think those are the right ones."

"'Request for Employment'," I read aloud. "Please fill out the following info…"

"Great! That's what I wanted! Give that to your friend and ask him to come in tomorrow. I don't have anyone else who works here, so I suppose I could hire him."

I wanted to jump up and down for joy. My weekend wasn't wasted by me running around and trying to find a job for Kiku! I'd found one on the very first try and I didn't even mean to.

"So, Matthew...are you single?"

If I were drinking something I would have spit it out. Who the fuck asks someone something like that?

"Um...yes?"

"Oh, good! You sound cute. How old are you?"

"Thirty."

"Wow," Alfred said with a laugh. "You're kind of old, dude. You're single at thirty? Tough, man."

"Well then, how old are you?" I snapped.

Alfred grinned. "I'm twenty-two."

Oh, Jesus. He was young. He looked fairly young from a first glance, but now that I studied his face...his hair color was about the same as mine, but not nearly as long. Whenever he smiled, his teeth looked like they were artificially whitened, they were so bright. No sign of any aging on his face...and his eyes, although they looked like they still had that "I'm-young-so-I-think-life-is-going-to-be-easy" look in them...there was something not right about them.

"Well, I need to get another cane. Maybe you need one too, since you're so old! But I don't think this one would help you very much."

Alfred ducked down behind the counter and moved a few things around before he found it. He held the stick low in his hand, so I couldn't quite see it. I heard a tapping sound on the ground as he worked his way around the counter, and saw...oh, God.

Alfred was blind.

**Way to state the obvious, Matt. Blind florist Alfred? I don't know. I'll try it. I've never even written an AmeCan before. Wish me luck, y'all.**


	2. Chapter 2

**"Moondustbeam, you always use the same three characters in all of your fics."**

** *hides***

I couldn't believe it. Well, actually, I could. This dude was blind!

"Jesus Murphy!" I yelled. "You're blind?"

Alfred frowned. "Who the fuck is 'Murphy'? And yes...couldn't you tell?"

"Um…" I stated as a scratched the back of my head. "Now that I think about it, there were some clues. But...how do you work in a flower shop if you can't even see them?!"

Alfred cocked his head and smiled. God, was he blind his whole life? It'd be a darn shame if he never saw what he looked like.

"Um, well, I can feel the leaves. I also know my botany, so I know where they all are and what to do with each of them…like, those, right there," he said as he pointed to the vase next to me, "are poinsettias. Good for three more weeks."

"Wow. But you need someone else to help you?"

"Right," said Alfred as he tapped his...long, black, stick-thing...you know what, nevermind. I'm not saying that. His cane. That's what he tapped on the floor as he followed the sound of my voice.

"You know," he said, "you sound really cute, Matt. Wanna go on a date with me?" He grinned, that fucking Orbit White smile. I was waiting for the British accent and the "Good clean feeling!" line.

"I d-don't even know you!" I sputtered, not wanting to leave. The last thing I wanted to do was walk out on a blind guy. But he was so handsome...so cute...and creepy. How does one date a blind person? And it was pretty insulting that it took a person who couldn't even see to get me noticed. Actually, maybe it was my looks that were hindering me this whole time. Wow. The blind guy is the one who gets a crush on me. What a great life, Matt.

"You can get to know me! What do you want to know?" Alfred pleaded, giving me a fake pout.

"Okayyy...where are you from?"

"New York!"

"You're American?"

"Yes!"

That explained a lot.

"I-I'm American, I like soda and burgers! I have other favorite foods too, like fried green beans, fried chicken, fried twinkies, fried butter, fried-"

"Why the hell is everything fried?!" I asked.

Alfred merely cocked his head.

"Nothing," I said with exasperation. "Just continue."

Alfred's face lit up as he did so. "I like ferris wheels and skateboards! I like cotton candy, too. Ever had cotton candy? I don't know if Canadians eat it. We have it in America. Um...let's see...oh yeah! I like horror movies, but I don't like to watch them alone-"

"Watch them?"

"Well, I can listen! I can feel what's going on. But it's scarier since I have no idea what anything really looks like, even people, so I just have to imagine."

"I'm sorry for interrupting you again, Alfred, but...you don't know what people look like?" My heart sank upon hearing that.

"Nope!" said the florist with a grin. "No idea! I was born blind. I mean, people have tried to give me a rough idea over the years, but it's tough to visualize what colors look like when you've never seen them. Everything is just guessing and me trying my hardest to picture it. I can't really picture things, though. I've never seen anything. I just think in textures and sounds. You sound sweet."

"Oh, Jesus Murphy…" I muttered. I was so glad he couldn't see the blush that crept across my face. He was blind as a bat and still a little charmer.

"What do you look like, Matt?"

"Um...I have blonde hair...and I have...blue eyes, but they're kinda purplish? And uh, I…"

"No, no!" Alfred laughed. "Tell me it in sounds and places."

"Oh. Ever been to the ocean?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Have you ever felt...what a sunset is like?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Combine those. Sunsets have a tinge of purple in them. That's that feeling where it's starting to get dark, but there's that touch of light in the sky. That gloomy but warm feeling as it slowly fades to black. And...the sea. The ocean. The bright and blue waters are salty, but have a warm feeling as it splashes you, right? The ocean water is clear and bittersweet, cool and clean. Uh...mix those two together. Those are my eyes, okay?"

"Wow," Alfred breathed. "Okay."

"My hair is just like yours. Have you ever felt the sunshine on your face?"

"Yeah!" He sounded more enthusiastic now.

"Okay. Um...imagine the sun wrapped around you. When you get that warm glow that goes all throughout your body, making you feel happy and loved inside. When you listen to that fast fiddle music with all the golden notes flying in the air, fast-paced and jovial. It's beautiful and it's bright."

I said this while looking at his hair, not mine. I wondered how he was able to pick out clothes that looked good together without even being able to see. Perhaps someone picked those things out for him. I'd imagine he needed help on a lot of things.

"I'm as tall as you. Do you need a description for that?"

"No," said Alfred. "I'm good. Are you white?"

"Like, Caucasian?"

"Yes."

"They've told me that white people are the ones with lighter hair, usually, so that's why I was wondering. Someone told me it's like a peach and milk mixed together or something."

Yay. White people are peach milk.

"Uh, I suppose that's what we are. But yes, we are both Caucasian. Oh, and I wear glasses. Like a window."

"Oh. I've met some people who wear those. You can't see very well, right?"

"Not really, no."

"Neither can I!" he laughed.

Well, damn. That was depressing.

"Hey, Matt. Do you think I'm cute?"

That caught me off guard. Why was he so forward?

"Uh, y-yeah? You're pretty cute."

I have never seen a face light up more than his in that exact moment. His hand gripped his cane as he bit down on his lower lip to keep himself from smiling so big.

"Wow, really? Gosh. You seem really nice, Matt."

Ha, everyone thinks that. I'm really just as douchey as the next guy.

"You came in here just to help your friend! And you didn't leave me because you thought I was annoying...or because I'm blind. Nobody has ever really dated me before, so I don't know how these things work…"

"Wait. Alfred. You know I'm a guy, right?" I asked suddenly. It was a stupid thought, but it crossed my mind. I knew Alfred wasn't dumb, but did he know I was a dude? My voice is kinda soft and on the higher side...but my name is Matt...did Alfred know that was a guy's name?

"Yes?" he said, as if it were a question. "I'm sorry, are you not gay?"

"Are you?"

"No."

"What the fuck, Alfred."

"I don't care about gender. I am pansexual. Hard for me not to be since I can't really see anyone, just go off their personality and voice."

Oh. So the blind guy had a clear grasp on sexuality after all. I was being a stupid hoser for even assuming that he was dumb, not blind. Jesus.

"Sorry for asking that," I said with a grimace. "It was wrong for me to assume you wouldn't know I'm a guy just because you're blind."

"That's okay! So, are you gay?"

I looked down at the floor, even though he couldn't see my embarrassment. "Yeah."

"Oh, that's great! Not great that you're gay in society, although Canada's pretty accepting. That means I have a chance, right?"

"I only like to date people after I've gotten to know them!"

"Oh. Are you demisexual?"

"What? No. I just don't know you."

"Sure you do!" Alfred said with that fucking smile. "You wanna know anything else? Come on, one date can't hurt ya!"

"Yes, it can. I would know. Goodbye, Alfred."

"Wait! Come back with Kiku tomorrow, okay? Please?"

"I'll think about it," I said as I opened the door of the shop, the golden bells chiming as I left.

X

"Why didn't you go on a date with him?" Kiku asked as he sipped his tea. He'd made some sort of herbal Japanese tea while I was gone. The guy got stuff done quickly. He'd already finished grocery shopping and cooking some sort of rice balls in the time it took for me to get him a job.

"I don't know him that well...? What if it's a gimmick? What if he pretends to be some annoyingly happy flower shop dude who lures in young men by pretending to be blind?"

Kiku sighed. "Oh, Matthew, you overthink things. You are thirty. It is time to go out and live your life while you still can. Alfred was right, one date cannot hurt you."

"He seems nice and all, but I know that phrase is wrong. Things can go wrong on the first date...horribly wrong." I had to stop myself from crying. Don't think about it, Matt. It's over and done with now.

"Hm. Well then, get to know him. Come with me to work tomorrow. If he were going to kill you, I think he would have done it while the two of you were alone."

I grabbed a rice ball from Kiku's little pile of them stacked up on a plate. They looked weird, but I was hungry.

"How do I eat these?" I asked.

"You just eat them," Kiku replied as he sorted through a stack of magazines, trying to find one to read.

"Thanks for making food and doing the grocery shopping, man. That was nice of you," I said as I bit down. Hm. Not bad. White rice is kind of bland, but it wasn't tasteless.

"Oh, no, thank you. You have given me a home for the time being, so it is the least I can do for you. I will cook and clean, paying you periodically when I get my paycheck. Hopefully I will be able to move out."

"What about your girlfriend?"

"Mei is...not doing well. I'm going to go visit her later this afternoon. We moved here because of the Canadian health care, but...I don't think she's going to get better. She's dying, and I've accepted that. She is spoiled and wants a fancy funeral, so I'm doing the best I can for her."

"That's sweet of you, Kiku. You seem like a very pleasant guy."

"Oh, do I? Thank you very much, Matthew."

"Why stripping though?" I said as I sat down on my bed. Efficiency apartments are the worst. They're about as big as a hotel room, and the only thing closed off is the bathroom. Everything else is out in the open.

"Um...I am very...limber? Yes, they...they offered me a lot of money. But it sickened me. I wanted to cry when people called me their 'exotic little Asian boy to fuck'. I...it was demeaning. I have a high sense of pride and self-respect, but I'd do anything for Mei…" His voice trailed off as he pulled out a magazine and began to flip through it, his eyes getting glassy.

"Don't cry, Kiku, please-"

"B-but you have given me a place off the streets!" he cried as he wiped his eyes. "Thank you so much."

"Really, Kiku. It's no biggie, okay? Don't worry about it. And you don't have to pay me back. I'm making plenty of money to support two people. You save it all up for your own apartment and the funeral, okay? I'll help you out if you need it."

I nearly jumped as I felt Kiku latch onto me, sobbing quietly as he pulled me closer to him.

"I...I don't hug people, but you seem like the type to want a h-hug, r-right?" Kiku sobbed quietly as he tightened his grip around my waist.

"Yes, Kiku," I muttered softly as I stroked his hair. "It's okay. Everything is going to work out for you and me."

**Okay, kinda sad? Idk, man. I don't think Canada (Matt) is as nice as everyone makes him out to be. Also, they're not brothers in canon. They're not in this fic, either. Just friends. Or something more later on. OH HO HO. But really it's an AmeCan fic.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Canada really does like Naruto in the Hetalia comics. He asks Japan to show him how to do ninja moves…and he has the cosplay. He's very much a Naruto weeaboo. It's kinda cute, in a way.**

"My name is Kiku. It is a pleasure to begin working with you."

I mumbled as Kiku introduced himself to Alfred, being met with a powerful handshake that nearly sent the small Asian flying. I had been forced to come by Kiku against my will. He said I needed friends. What nonsense. I have polar bears. I don't need friends.

"Matthew is here as well. He's pretending he's not."

Oh, fuck you, Kiku.

"Really?!" Alfred exclaimed. "Matt, where are you?" He tapped his cane around him in a circle, branching out as if he were reaching to find me. I grimaced at the sight, feeling bad for the poor guy.

"Right here," I sighed, stepping over to him. "Alfred, I-"

"-am taking you on a date?" Alfred cut in.

"No."

He snapped his fingers and grinned. "Oh, damn. I guess that I just have to keep trying harder."

"Please don't."

Alfred ignored me entirely and instead turned his attention to Kiku. Stupid hoser.

"Now, Kiku, do you know anything about plants?"

Kiku looked up in thought. "A little. My girlfriend always had lots of plants in our house, so she taught me a little. I don't know the science side, however, and will be willing to learn anything you will teach me." He did a slight bow that Alfred couldn't even fucking see.

"Good," said Alfred as he bowed back. Wait...bowed back?

"How did you know he bowed to you?!" I shouted, not watching my volume.

Alfred smiled. "He's Japanese, right? They are very polite and usually bow after sentences like that. His voice also sounded like it went lower, closer to the ground, so I knew he bowed to me."

Alfred was smart. I didn't expect that from him.

"I'm not so much worried about the plants as I am with the transactions. Please handle those for me. I actually have a guy who counts everything up, but…" His voice sounded watery and faltering. "I take the money and run the store. And if their total is twenty, I feel like stupid loser when I accept a dollar bill because I don't know the difference. Like I'm some dumbass blind guy they screwed over. I try to see the best in people and assume they're giving me the right amount, but…"

I could practically feel my heart sinking. Alfred sounded so distraught knowing that people took advantage of his disability whenever he counted up his money.

"Of course," said Kiku with a polite smile. "I will handle the transactions for you."

"Really? Great. I hope you can handle this Canadian money! They smell like maple syrup. Isn't that right, Matt? You're Canadian, like, all the way, right?"

"Yeah?"

"See! We have a real Canadian to help you with the money."

"Woah, hold on a second!" I said, backing up. "I'm not helping. Kiku can figure it out on his own. There's numbers on them. It's not too different from, uh, yen. He'll be fine. See ya-"

"Actually, I might need some help with this. I am sorry to bother you, Matthew, as you have already helped me greatly," Kiku replied.

That little devil. I could see the gleam in his eye and the smile he was trying to suppress. He was trying to get me and Alfred together! What a sneak.

"Well, Kiku, why do you need to work for me?" Alfred asked. "The paperwork was merely a formality. I can't read it, obviously. I could get my dad to do it, but-"

"Wait, wait. You have a dad?" I sputtered, feeling bad for interrupting him.

"Yes. Who do you think takes care of me? I could live on my own, but he doesn't feel comfortable with it. Sometimes he reads the papers for me. Can't work for me, though. He has his own job. If anything, I should be working for him. But he's an author, so I couldn't really help him with anything."

Alfred leaned against the counter and sighed. I could detect a small hint of malice when he talked about his father, so I presumed they had a rocky relationship.

"Um, I was working the streets, since you asked," Kiku suddenly said.

"Like a street cleaner?"

Kiku looked uncomfortable as he wrung his hands and spoke in a hushed tone. "No, as a prostitute."

Alfred was silent for a moment, his expression showing no emotion. Kiku looked frightened, as if he didn't know what the reaction could have meant for him. Even I feared that he may lose the job if Alfred knew what Kiku's previous employment had been. But all of the sudden, Alfred reached out and pulled Kiku in for a hug.

"Dude…" he said, sniffling. "I am so sorry."

Alfred was holding Kiku tightly and resting his head on the young man's shoulder. I could see his eyes, tears falling down his cheeks. Kiku didn't know what to do other than keep his hands at his sides.

"Don't worry, man," said Alfred as he grabbed Kiku by the shoulders and pulled away. "You're gettin' a new start! You don't have to tell me anything you're not comfortable with, okay? Don't even think about it. You can even stay with me if you ever need to."

"A-actually," Kiku started as he cleared his throat, "I am staying with Matthew."

Alfred looked shocked, but quickly grinned. "Aw, Matt's a good person! I knew it. I knew he was a good guy. Matt, you're a sweetie."

Alfred wiped at his face, drying away the few tears that had slipped down. I stood there, stunned, trying to think of how I could possibly defend myself.

"I am not!" I yelled. Smooth, Matt. That was a good one.

"Yes you are," said Kiku and Alfred in unison. They looked at each other and laughed at the coincidence.

"No! I can be mean when I want to-"

"Yes, Matt. We know. You're such a mean person for letting a guy stay with you and talking to the blind dude. We get it. You're horrible," Alfred said with a chuckle.

"People talk to you, I'm sure," I huffed.

"Not really. I scare kids and adults think I'm dumb. Never had friends as a child, either. Anyway, Kiku, let me show you around. A few things are written in braille, so I can read them. But my dad somehow forgot I was blind when he built the place, so…"

The two of them walked off and I wasn't sure of what I was supposed to do. I stood there awkwardly, pulling out my phone to check the time. I didn't have to go to work for another hour. As if anyone would really notice if I were gone.

"Well, I gotta go help Antonio with the dolphins today...so...I'll be coming back to pick Kiku up around eight!" I shouted, hoping they could hear me in the corner of the store.

"Okay! And then we get to go on a date tomorrow, right?" Alfred shouted jovially.

"No," I said, voice cracking, and left.

X

"Stupid fucking Alfred and his stupid fucking smile."

I kicked the dashboard and made my windshield wipers go crazy. In the process of turning them off, I managed to turn on my headlights and turn signal as well. Muttering under my breath, I switched off random buttons until I finally got my car under control again. Why was I in my car? Because I was not going inside the aquarium too early.

I took a bite out of my sandwich and sank lower into my seat. Tim Hortons always managed to fuck up my order. I cranked up the volume of the radio, trying so hard not to think about Alfred and how stupid he was.

Those big, dumb, blue eyes. Always staring right at me, regardless of his lack of vision. Like some sort of fucking Wall-E zooming in on me.

"You know what Alfred looks like?!" I said aloud. "That Pixar lamp! The way it turns and looks at you, even though it has no eyes-"

I was interrupted by a banging on my window. It scared the shit out of me, my sandwich dropping onto my lap. I could hear faint laughter as I collected myself, shaken and embarrassed.

I rolled down the window, trying to preserve my dignity. Antonio, my employee, laughed at my expense. He was from Spain, an easygoing guy, and loved to press all of my buttons.

"Hola, Matthew! Are you going to come in or just eat your silly sandwich, friend?" he said with a grin. "Today is dolphin training day! Ooh, I want to see all of the cute little dolphins. With their little flippers. So cute! They will wave to us, like this, see?"

He waved. What an idiot.

"Yeah, so cute," I said, rolling my eyes. I turned my car off and stuck the sandwich through the window. "You want this? They fucked it up. And don't bang so harshly on the window next time."

"Ah, thank you. My apologies, amigo! I was having the fun with you, yes?" He was always smiling and never really stopped, but I'd heard that he could be a scary person if he ever wanted to. That's what his boyfriend always told me.

"Yeah, well, I'm going inside. I am the boss, so I don't wanna be late," I sighed, stepping outside the car.

"I am the boss, too!" Antonio huffed. "I am a supervisor!"

"Yes," I said with a meek smile. "But you are not the head boss."

"That's not what Lovino says to me."

"Nasty."

We walked towards the aquarium, the large double-doors only a few feet away. Antonio began to unwrap his sandwich.

"It is not gross, friend! It is love! Ah, sweet little Lovino. He is mine, all mine, and it makes my heart beat faster whenever I think of him."

"Didn't he punch you in the face last week?" I asked, unlocking the front door.

"Yes, but it was a punch of love. That's how he shows me he loves me. He may call me names, but in the end, it is all because he does not know how to express his feelings otherwise."

I shrugged. "He seems nice to girls."

"Because he does not love them. It is fake; he is being nice. He hates me because he loves me," Antonio said with that neverending smile.

I didn't quite get his logic, but I'd be the last person to understand a relationship. But at least I had my workplace. I inhaled deeply, taking in the feel of the aquarium. The darkness with the faint glow from the tanks, the smell of the water, the feeling of the total silence as I was surrounded by nature.

"There's gum on my shoe!" Antonio wailed.

X

I threw in another hunk of meat. It never ceased to amaze me how the animals would swarm to food, ripping it apart with their teeth. I shuddered, thinking of how easily they could rip me apart if they so desired.

"Kuma, what am I going to do?" I sighed as the polar bear below me chewed on his lunch. "I don't want to go on a date with him, but I really do want to give him some sort of chance."

I ran my fingers through my hair. The bear, Kuma, looked up at me for a brief moment. I could never remember his name, so I merely called him 'Kuma'. Pretty sure it meant bear in Japanese. If it didn't, I'd be in a world of embarrassment if I ever showed Kiku around my work. What if it meant dildo? What if Kiku asked, 'Why did you name him Dildo?'

"I guess it couldn't hurt. But I'm thirty years old now. I don't have any way of being romantic. What am I supposed to use, Buzzfeed or something?" I asked, shouting.

Kuma stared at me, as if I were crazy for talking to a bear.

"What are you going to say, huh? Do you know who I am, Kuma? Jesus Murphy, does anyone fucking know? Does anyone know who I am?"

Kuma abandoned his meal and swam away from me, clearly not interested.

"You're gonna fucking ignore me. Okay. Oh, do I need to call you Dildo? Huh, Dildo?! Are you a fucking dildo, you stupid bear?" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

I saw a flash from the corner of my eye and turned around to face about thirty people looking at me through the glass. Women, men, children of all ages...they were taking pictures of Kuma as a tour guide turned on her mic.

"And, uh, here...we have the polar bear…"


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry that it's taking so long for me to update…**

I looked into the window of the flower shop. Dammit. I didn't see them there. Which meant that Alfred and Kiku were probably in the back room, just a couple of "guys being dudes!" as they say. Whatever. They were hanging out with each other. Kiku was straight and Alfred was...was it pansexual? Bisexual? Whatever, he liked girls too. Kiku was probably describing women's curves to him, telling him about how much better they are than men…

I gripped my shirt. Why did that make me upset just to think about? I could care less about Alfred liking men or not. He could marry a fucking ferris wheel for all I cared, because I wasn't interested in him and his stupid, sweet smile. I had wanted someone my whole life, but at the same time, I was way too scared and awkward to do much about it. I knew how first dates went in the past. Bad. Always bad. I wanted one, but when I was scared of them, how could I go on one?

Strippers, duh.

That's how I had been solving my problems. Hire a sex worker or a dancer, let them give me a little thrill, pay them, we part ways and I never have to worry about them coming home and crying about how I forgot our anniversary.

Still...I ached for that sometimes. I wanted someone to reach down and hold my hand. Someone taller than me, but not too tall, because I'm already 180 centimeters. Someone who would stroke my hair and tell me it's okay as he curled his fingers over my own, kissing my hand, smiling as he pulled me closer…

I pressed my head against the cool glass of the window. Honestly, why was it so hard for me? My life was okay, but it wasn't great. I had a job. I had a house. I had a car. I had a friend or two. But...I didn't have that same thing those couples had when they walked down the street, sharing that umbrella and giggling like mad, whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears as they ran, ran to their car as fast as they could, tripping over each other and laughing with something so jovial and bright. Something that I didn't have and probably wouldn't, since I was...old.

I stared at my reflection in the glass. Honestly, what did I have to offer people? Maybe I should have cut my hair...I pushed it back, running a hand through my long bangs. Did I look like I sold pot? I looked like I sold it and smoked it. Well, the second part was true. I looked like a hippie in some people's eyes, even though my hair wasn't insanely long. It didn't reach my shoulders, the way it did with my dad. And even though I had glasses, I didn't think they were too dorky...right? I'd been told that my eyes were at least "cool-looking", blue with a hint of purple. Was my nose weird? No, it looked normal, not too big or too small. Thank God I didn't have big-ass lips. I turned my head. My jaw was fine. Average sharpness, I suppose.

That was it. I was average. I wasn't ugly, but I wasn't a model, either. I wasn't the type of guy you'd stop on the street to ask for his number. I was just another face, another guy, some dude that you saw at work and just had one of those "nice" faces, where he looked kind and sort of okay, but not enough for you to ever develop a crush on him.

I sighed and started to walk towards the door, but I felt myself bumping into someone.

"Ah, I'm...Matt? Is that you? Oh, you're here for Kiku…"

I looked up at that stupid fucking face. "How did you know it was me?"

Alfred grinned. "I just know! I can tell who it is when they're near me. Perks of being blind, I suppose. You know what you smell like?" he said, walking into the shop.

"Hm?"

"Like maple syrup and mint gum, kinda like some sweet air freshener."

"Oh, really?" I snorted as I walked inside, following Alfred. Damn. I'd have to change my Bath & Body Works perfume. The saleswoman said nobody would notice if I wore Wild Honeysuckle; she said it still smelled like a man's scent.

"Well, I am here to pick up Kiku," I said, pulling my keys from my pocket and jingling them.

"Yeah, he's in the back...I taught him how to count inventory." He leaned over the counter, propping himself up on his elbows. "The dude has had it rough."

"The whole thing with his girlfriend?" I asked, observing the petals on various flowers.

"Um, I was talking about his mom, but...yeah, that was sad too."

"His mo-"

Kiku emerged from the back, untying his apron and folding it up neatly. He didn't act like he had heard us, and I desperately hoped that he didn't. His mom? Did something happen with his mom?

"Oh, Kiku, you're back," Alfred said, even thought I could have sworn Kiku's movements were as silent as a mouse. Kiku nodded, walking over and placing his clothes on the counter.

"I'm done for today," he announced with a bow. "Thank you very much for hiring me."

"Dude, that's like...the fiftieth time you've said that. It's no problem, really!"

I swung my keys on my finger and gestured for Kiku to come with me. I was honestly so tired and needed a nap after my embarrassing display earlier. I yelled in front of a bunch of kids, but I was the boss, so nobody could really scold me. I did hear a kid asking another one if he was a dildo later on.

"Wait!" Alfred shouted. "Matt, I need to know if Friday sounds good!"

"For what?"

"For a date-"

I slammed the door behind us.

X

"Matt, why won't you give Alfred a chance?"

"Ah, well, I just had a bad experience with dating. Or rather, my dad did. I'm not ready to let that happen again."

"Oh...your father?"

"Yeah. I'd rather not talk about it," I said, swirling the maple syrup into my coffee. Kiku was watching TV, something about little girls dancing for some fat lady who yelled a lot.

"That's okay," Kiku said. He was always such an understanding guy, going with the flow and agreeing with everyone. So polite. What was he hiding? There was no way he was so stoic and nice all the time. Kiku had something else to him, but I couldn't see what it was.

"I don't mean to pry, but...how is Mei doing?"

Kiku sighed. He'd just gotten back from his late night visit at the hospital, and he seemed quite downtrodden. I mean, she was dying, so I couldn't imagine that he'd be in a good mood.

"Um...she can't really talk anymore…" Kiku said, looking down. "I don't think she has much left in her."

"Man, I'm so sorry."

"Do you want to see her picture?"

Kiku pulled out his wallet and flipped it open, keeping his thumb on a certain spot and handing it over. I glanced down, looking at the girl in front of me. It looked like some sort of graduation photo, something professional. Mei was Asian, just as I figured, and had very long, dark brown hair. It was shiny and looked super soft to the touch...but I'd imagine that it was gone now. Her eyes shone with excitement, and I could tell that she was the happy sort, just like Alfred. I knew just from looking at her picture that she was full of energy and the type to jump up and down, but not in a bad way.

"If you go to the next one, that's the two of us," Kiku said, scooting closer to me so he could look at them as well.

I flipped it over and my heart felt like it was breaking. Kiku was kissing Mei on the cheek, eyes closed, as she took the picture. She was laughing, her eyes crinkling at the corners and showing her absolute joy. Kiku's arms were wrapped around her waist, and the background looked like...a zoo?

This photo meant so much to Kiku that he printed a smaller version of it, laminated it, and put it in his wallet so he could carry it around for everyone or himself to look at...it hurt to think about it. Those two were in love, a young couple that had everything ripped from them so soon. Mei seemed so overjoyed, filled to the brim with love...and now she was dying in a hospital, unable to speak, as her boyfriend fell apart without her. And they knew they wouldn't be together much longer. Did they know that would happen when they were at the zoo together? Probably not. They thought they'd grow old together, have a life together...not be hooked up to machines while the other one sold his body to pay for a death that hadn't even happened. Life could be diminished so quickly, no matter how much you were filled with it.

"Here," I said with tears forming in my eyes. I handed the wallet back to him and he took it, staring at the photo of the two of them.

"I'm so sorry, Kiku…" I said, unable to drink my beverage any longer. I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying not to think about it.

"Are you cancer?" Kiku whispered, still staring at the photo.

"No…"

"Then you have nothing to be sorry for."

X

"Alfred, please, don't hold me so tightly," I hissed into his ear.

"Sorry," he said, loosening the grip on my waist. He still held me close, however, and pressed his nose to mine. He was taller than me by a good few inches, which made my heart race. I loved taller guys. "Alfred…" I whispered as I looked right into his eyes. He held my hand in an elegant way, the way that dancers do on all the fancy television shows. With one hand out and another around me, he moved us back and forth, swaying around in an empty ballroom.

He never moved our faces apart. Alfred kept our foreheads together when we swayed along, and for some reason...I could step so well. Those broad steps that I had seen so many times in those ballroom dancing scenes...we were turning around, both of us taking long strides and leaning in perfect unison.

"Matt, you're so beautiful…" Alfred said in awe.

"What? But you can't see...and I'm so plain…"

Suddenly the room turned black, all of the beige-tinted ballroom with candles, chandeliers, and royal purples...they melted away into darkness. I looked at Alfred, terrified as I realized we were floating in space.

"Alfred...what…"

I saw Kuma swimming through the space, ignoring me as he went by. Suddenly, several miniature polar bears appeared, flowers growing atop their heads. All of them ignored me, however, even after I called out to them with no words.

"I can't see…" Alfred whispered as he gripped my face in his hands. "I can't see…"

He pulled my face closer to his own and pursed his lips ever-so-slightly...his eyes were totally shadowed by the blackness surrounding us. I was scared, and I felt that I couldn't pull away. The bears got closer, the air became thicker, and Alfred's lips brushed against my own-

I sat up in bed, sweat running down my face. Kiku was sleeping beside me, making little murmuring noises and shifting in his sleep after being disturbed. I didn't know how to feel about that dream...but from the way my blankets were twisted and my chest was heaving rapidly...it was more of a nightmare.

I grabbed my glasses from the nightstand and put them on, fumbling. A red 3:46 nearly blinded me when I read the clock.

My cat jumped up on the bed and kneaded his little paws into my stomach. It made me sick, so I lifted him off of me and set him between myself and Kiku, resting my head on the pillow again and petting him gently.

Then I cried myself to sleep.

**This chapter is very sad, isn't it? Everyone thinks my fics are going to be so happy...but if you know the way mine work, there's always some sad things thrown in there. It's called tragic relief. You know, like comic relief? Same thing exists in comedy, yo.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'M SO SORRY THAT I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN A LONG TIME. But alas, I have a thing called a life and it prevents me from updating anime fanfictions.**

My number.

Kiku gave Alfred my goddamn phone number.

So my whole morning was spent feeding penguins, grooming polar bears, and getting random emoticons from a blind guy while he worked in his flower shop with my ex-prostitute roommate.

"Fucking hell," I muttered. "What does this even mean?"

_Matt! Come to the flower shop later! We have allllllllll new kinds of daisies that just came in with TWO COLORS! (●⌒∇⌒●)_

_How are you texting and reading my texts if you're blind?_

_You don't think we've adapted? I have a braille keyboard. And Siri reads your messages to me!_

As soon as I was about to put my phone away, it buzzed again. I flipped it open. Yes, I have a flip phone.

_But I think your voice sounds sweeter~~~~ (' ∇' )_

I slammed it shut. No way was that blind little Casanova going to get to me. He was too perky. Like that German kid in the Toaster Strudel commercials. Is this how Lovino felt about Antonio? Antonio was also annoyingly perky. But whenever Lovino came into work and brought him food...he seemed like he really loved him. The kisses on the cheek, the sweet nothings he would whisper when they thought they were alone in the break room but really I was there the whole time, the flowers he would pick for him so Antonio could them into flower crowns...it was cute. And it made my heart ache.

I wanted to cry. I really did. I felt sick and aching all over just from thinking about it. It wasn't fucking fair. Everyone else seemed to have a love. And I could never get one, whether it was due to my fear of commitment or the fact that...I'd never been asked out on a date. I looked down at my phone and saw my warped reflection. Was I really that unlovable?

Unlovable. That's what I'd told myself my whole life. When I was a little boy and all the other kids would play on the swing sets without me. When people forgot my name. When my dad told me "Don't worry Matt, I'll be home later" and wouldn't come home to eat my birthday cake with me because he'd found a woman to hook up with that night. I just wasn't really worthy of anyone's attention.

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes and I wiped them away. I knew it. I knew it would take someone being blind to finally notice someone like me. I finally got asked out on a date...and I knew how those went. The person would leave you, all for a joke, just like they did with my dad. Someone as charming as Alfred couldn't like some average guy like me. He only wanted to date me because he thought I seemed nice. Maybe he had other intentions. Nobody would like me. My life had taught me that.

"He's joking," I said, my voice going watery. "Everyone who pays me attention is joking."

X

"Oh, Matt! You're here to pick up Kiku!"

He had a cheerful face. So cheerful. So pretty.

"Yeah," I said, trying to hide the fact that I cried the entire drive over.

Alfred frowned and reached forward. He started patting around my hip until he'd found my arm and grabbed it, running his hands down and taking mine in his own. I didn't pull away.

"Matt," he said, squeezing my hand. "You sound sad."

I heard the sounds of windchimes blowing and felt the breeze coming in through the windows. The whole shop felt calm and comforting, and Alfred's grip made me feel reassured and loved. So of course I started to cry.

"Hey...are you crying?" Alfred asked, lurching forward and looking at my face. He seemed panicked as he held my hand tighter.

"Y-yeah...I'm just having a bad day," I said, lifting my glasses and smudging my eyes with my one free hand.

Alfred took my hand in both of his, cradling it like it was a piece of glass. He slowly brought it to his lips and kissed it, then looked up at me with a smile.

"You'll be okay," he told me, rubbing my hand. "It'll be alright."

"Y-you're cute," I choked out, not meaning to. I could feel my chest tightening up as I looked at our intertwined hands and Alfred's white smile. Looking at me with his face that was too handsome to be staring at a face like mine.

"Thank you," he said, chuckling. "So are you."

"Wait! I didn't mean to-"

"You said it! You can't take it back!" said Alfred, grinning like an idiot.

We heard Kiku coughing from the corner of the room. While Alfred was distracted, I pulled my hand away, cradling it. It felt odd to have him touch me. All my cares seemed to drift away and I'd said what I was thinking. Stupid. I was being stupid.

"Matthew, I am ready to leave now...ah, um…"

We could both tell that he'd seen our little conversation. Alfred didn't seem too bothered by it, but I was. I knew I was blushing and I knew that I was rubbing my hand. Alfred made me tell him he was cute, the blind fool.

Kiku could take a hint, though, and whizzed past both of us and out the door while keeping his head down. It was just Alfred and I. He did that on purpose and I knew it.

"Matt," Alfred said, a pleading look in his eyes. "Please. Just one date. If you say no...I guess I won't bother you again. I just never really meet people who give me more than one second of their day...and I know you said you're not, but you seem really nice. Kiku told me you want to date someone. I know I'm not what you had in mind, but I promise I can try."

I blinked in surprise. Was Alfred really saying what I thought? He thought I didn't like him because he was blind. He thought nobody would give him a chance because of his eyesight. And he thought I was nice enough to look past it the whole time, even after I'd been a total dick to him. I'd realized it, but I tried not to think much of it. One date. If my heart got broken, it was worse than dying alone, I supposed.

"Yeah...sure. I'll give you a chance," I said. My voice didn't crack. I am a grown man.

I'd never seen someone more happy. Alfred reached his hands out until he touched me, then pulled me in for a hug. I could feel the warmth radiating off of him, and I awkwardly placed my hands on his back. He was taller than me by about a centimeter.

"Really?!" he asked. "Thank you! Wow, Matt, your body feels really firm! Your knuckles were kinda big, too. Are you a big muscley guy?"

"Not...um...not really…" I sputtered.

"Yeah...you feel kinda thin at the same time...anyway, what time do you wanna have dinner?"

"Dinner?"

"Yeah!" He let go and stepped back, holding my hands in his own and massaging my knuckles. "There's a place across the street that has lobster. Do you like lobster? We can go there tonight if you'll let me go home and get dressed."

"Wait...lobster? Oh. You mean _Francis_?" I chuckled at the irony.

"Yeah! Kinda has a weird name."

"That's my dad's restaurant. He's pretty egotistical, so he named it after himself. We can eat there for free."

"No way!" Alfred shouted. "I can meet your dad? Do you have a mom? Oh, God, that's really cool."

"I don't have a mom."

"Everyone has a mom."

"I've never met her."

Alfred shrugged this information off. He was just too excited to have a date with me. He locked up the shop and kept grinning the whole time, even as he asked me what he should wear on our date. I told him to wear what he normally would to my dad's place and he nodded excitedly.

"See you, sweetie!" he told me. His house was only a few blocks away and he apparently walked home using his cane. I waved goodbye, then quickly put my hand down after I realized he'd never be able to see it. I handed Kiku my car keys through the window and asked if he could drive himself home.

"Heh," Kiku said with a smirk. "I can. Are you going out with Alfred?"

"Yeah...you think a button-up and khakis are fine for a fancy date?"

"Roll your sleeves down and it might be. What size shoe do you wear?"

"Uh…" I looked down at my feet. "An eleven or twelve depending on the company."

Kiku reached down and pulled his shoes off. He was wearing black, shiny, pointed shoes. I'd never realized that Kiku actually dressed quite well because he always changed into something more comfortable when he got home. He handed me his shoes before starting up the car.

"I wear a ten or eleven. I think those are elevens. You can't wear tennis shoes on a fancy date. Hand me yours."

I untied my shoes and handed them to him, hoping to God they didn't smell bad. If they did, Kiku was the master of keeping a straight face. I squeezed my foot into his shoes, amazed that such a small guy could wear such big ones. Maybe he had a big dick and nobody suspected a thing.

"I hope you do well on your date," Kiku said with a smile.

X

Alfred's father picked out his clothes for him, he said. He looked so cute in a shirt and tie with his hair ever-so-slightly gelled back, just enough to where it looked neater. Something told me his dad did that for him too.

"He was really happy that I got a date," Alfred said. "I've been telling him about you and he was really excited for me."

"Oh, really?" I looped my arm around his and took him into the restaurant with me. Alfred's arms felt quite muscular and warm...he was always warm. Like the heat just radiated off of him.

"Yeah! So he asked me what kind of tie I'd like and I told him I don't know, because I never asked you what your favorite color was…"

I chuckled and let him ramble on as I made our table reservations. I always had to inform that wait staff that I was Matthew Williams, the son of the owner, because they could never remember my face. My name was written down, though, so they took us to our seats.

"...and he said that it's good for me to be a gentleman...oh, are we here?" Alfred asked, tapping his cane around.

"Yeah. We're here. The seat is right here," I told him, guiding him.

The waitress gave Alfred an odd look as he sat down, but of course Alfred didn't notice. I did, however, and frowned slightly at the woman. She had seen blind people before, right? Surely Alfred wasn't too odd.

"Um...sir...we don't have any, uh, menus for you?" she asked Alfred as if it were a question.

"That's fine!" he said, cheerful as ever. "He can read things for me like people always do!"

She rolled her eyes and walked away. I thought it was odd, but she was just one person.

Until I noticed that half the restaurant was looking our way.

I'd hoped it would be like when a person came back from the restroom: they notice you for a second, then go back to what they were doing. But everyone seemed to notice me for once in my life. The time when I didn't want them to. No...they weren't noticing me. They were noticing Alfred and his cane. They knew he wouldn't know if they stared at him for longer than one should, and it made me angry. Just how many times had this happened in Alfred's life without him knowing? I wanted to yell at them to stop, but Alfred would hear me.

"Um, Matt, I'm really sorry, but can you read off the lobster section for me?"

"Yeah," I said, holding the menu tighter. "No problem."

**In case you are confused, Matt is afraid of commitment because he thinks nobody will truly like him, and they will all end up leaving him in the end. Kinda sad. Poor bubu.**


End file.
